Soy foods are derived from soybeans. You may see soybeans also referred to edamame, which is the Japanese name for the young, green variety. Soy foods are common protein substitutes for meat or fish.
Soy contains proteins that are high in isoflavones named genistein and daidzein. These are phytoestrogens, which are plant compounds that mimic the human hormone estrogen in some tissues and block the action of estrogen in other tissues.
There is conflicting evidence on whether dietary or supplementary soy has any effect on bone density and fracture risk. Studies conducted almost exclusively in Japanese and Chinese postmenopausal women show positive results. In contrast, soy supplementations in Western study groups do not differ in bone density from placebo groups not receiving soy products.
The typical Asian diet contains considerably higher amount of soy than the Western population diets. The research studies done in Western nations used soy protein or isoflavones not whole food sources. Soy foods and products may help in diminishing your menopausal symptoms but you cannot count on soy to increase your bone density.